Madeleines(Cook's Illustrated)

Total Time

30mins

Prep 20 mins

Cook 10 mins

Releasing the cookies immediately after removing them from the oven also proved crucial. To avoid imprinting lines on our cookies from wire cooling racks, we turned the cookies out onto a tea towel, tapping the mold gently on the counter to release them, if needed. To coat the molds, mix two teaspoons of melted butter with one teaspoon of all-purpose flour. Brush the molds and rims thoroughly, but not thickly, with this mixture.

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees, middle rack.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, salt. Set aside.

Beat yolks with whole egg and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer, about 5 minutes on high speed if using hand mixer. Slowly add sugar beating until a ribbon drops from beaters, about 5 minutes with hand mixer. The batter should be very light and fluffy.

Gradually fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula. Fold very gently and carefully. Then do the same with the melted butter.

Spoon batter into molds. (Batter should come just flush with mold rim.) Don't bother smoothing the batter; you don't want to deflate it, and it will smooth out on its own in the oven. Bake until tops are golden and cakes spring back when pressed lightly, about 10 minutes.

Spread out a clean dishcloth on your work surface. When the madeleines come out of the oven, turn them out right onto the dishcloth. You need to get them out of the pans while they're still very hot. Do not let them cool in the pans. The madeleines are delicate when warm, so they're easily broken, so be careful when moving them until they are cool. Cool to room temperature. (Can be stored in airtight container up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month.).